Skein winding machine



July 3, 1951 F. osBoRNE SKEIN WINDING MACHINE Filed June 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 nTToRNEy July 3, 1951 F. osBoRNE SKEIN WINDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1946 ,fven for F RRNK OSBORNE ITTGRNEY July 3, 1951 F, OSBONE 2,559,314

SKEIN WINDING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 svr'ronmay July 3, 1951 F. SBORNE 2,559,314

SKEIN WINDING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 3, 1951 SKEIN WINDING MACHINE Frank Osborne, Adlington, near Maccleseld, England, assignor to Wm. Ayrton & Company, Limited, Manchester, England, a British com- Dany Application June 17, 1946, Serial No. 677,327 In Great Britain July 5, 1945 3 Claims.

This invention relates to skein winding machines for skeins of the kind comprising a plurality of loops adapted to be secured by a paper or like band with one end of the thread accessible for unwinding.

The expression thread is used herein to include thread or yarn of any material and size and the expression band is similarly generic to bands, loops, or other embracing devices for securing the loops of the skein in bunched or collected form through which the thread may be drawn for unwinding.

Hitherto, in machines for winding skeins of the kind referred to, the winding has been stopped for the severance, banding, doing and other subsequent operations. Where relatively short skeins are being produced, the idle time of such machine becomes relatively disproportionate even where a plurality of winding stations are provided as the Winding on the whole machine is stopped during the operation of dofiing &c. at all the stations and before recommencing Winding.

The object of the present invention is an improved method of and means for Winding such skeins in a continuous operation, and without stopping the winding.

The invention comprises the method of wind ing skeins of thread of the kind comprising a number of loops adapted to be secured by a paper or like band, with one end of the thread accessible for unwinding, wherein skeins are wound in continuous and uninterrupted succession on a plurality of holders at a winding station, and the thread subsequently severed, and the holders progressed from the winding station in continuous operation.

The improved method may include dofling from the holders after progression from the winding station.

The improved method may include the use of a plurality of holders rotated through a cycle'of stations for winding, banding, severing, and doiiing in continuous operation.

According to the invention, a machine for the continuous Winding of skeins according to the methods aforesaid comprises a rotatable winding head and a skein holder having a plurality of skein holding members, and means synchronised with the Winding for indexing the skein holder to move the holding members round to successive stations and to present successive skein holding members to the winding head for continuous and interconnected winding of successive skeins and so that the connecting thread extends between adjacent skein holding members at the same end 2 of the holder, a cutter for severing the completed skein from the next succeeding skein after the winding of the latter has been sufficiently established or completed, and mechanism for actuating the cutter synchronised with the Winding of a succeeding skein. Y

Such machine may be characterised in that the skein holder comprises a rotatable drum with a plurality of skein holding arms, the cutter for severing the skein from its next succeeding skein being located at a station subsequent to the winding station leaving one or more holders with Wound skeins thereon at an intermediate station or stations for banding or other operation on the skein; or further characterised in that the thread cutter comprises a movable cutter adapted to pick up the thread at the connection between two successive skeins with means for moving such cutter back along the last loop of the first-Wound skein and means for operating the cutter in the length of such last loop so that it may be close to a band on the skein and so as to leave the end to the rst loop of the succeeding skein long; or further characterised in that the cutter is moved in a circular path embracing one of the skein holding members so as to pick up the thread and bring the cutter into the desired severing position; or further characterised by dofling means comprising arms normally positioned behind the skein as it is progressed into a doing station succeeding the severing station and means for moving said arms to push the skein off the skein holding arms in synchronised relation to the winding or by means for traversing the winding head relative to the skein holding members during winding so as to give a ilat skein.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a plan of one example of a machine for the continuous winding of skeins land made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. l.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary front elevations and end elevations to a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan to a larger scale.

Figs. 6 and '7 are fragmentary elevation and plan to a larger scale.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation, and

Fig. 9 a section on 8 9 of Fig. 8 showing a portion of the indexing mechanism.

In the example of the invention shown in the drawings the improved winding machine comprises a table top of inverted L shape, arranged so that the operative may sit at lila at the angle for the operation of iixing the bands on the skeins while the machine is working. Along the base of the L and on top of the table is mounted an electric motor I I having its pulley I Ia connected by a driving belt I2 to the pulley I3 of a winding head which, through a worm (not shown) drives a worm wheel I4 on a shaft I5. The winding head shaft I6 which is driven from the shaft I through skew gears 15a and I6a. has a through hole for the thread I1 and is slidably mounted in twoY arms ISa and I8b of a bearing bracket I8 and adapted to be reciprocated endwise (axially) by a fork I9 on a rocker shaft' ISa engaging a groove in a cam 20, described later, to effect a winding traverse. The bracket I8 is mounted on a platform 2| having slots 2Ia (see Fig. 5) to ypermit sliding adjustment of the bracket, so that the position of the winding head may be adjusted for different lengths of skein. The winding head itself comprises a balanced flyer arm 22 having tWo eyes 22a., 22h through which the thread is laid, such thread being led from la cop or spool not shown Amounted on a holder positioned between the legs of the table and through the spindle I6 of the Winding head. The cop may be located in any other suitable position.

In front of the winding head and in line with the inner edge of the base of the L is a skein kholder consisting of a shaft 23 mounted in brackets 23a level with the shaft I6 of the Winding head and carrying a pair of spoked bosses 24 iand 25, each having eight spokes 24a and 25a to form eight skein holders. Along the -arm of the L-shaped table is a further shaft 26, hereinafter termed the main shaft, which at one end is connected by a train or system of changeable spur wheels 21, 28 and 29 to a short parallel layshaft 30 which in turn is driven by worm gearing 3l from the end of the shaft I5. The system of changeable spur pinions includes the usual slotted arm, not shown, pivoted about the main shaft 26 and having a bearing stud, not shown, adjustable along the slot in the arm to carry the idle spur wheel 28. This gearing is arranged so that the pinion 29 is advanced one tooth for each revolution of the flyer and therefore the number of teeth on the gear 21 equals the number of turns of the flyer for one revolution of the shaft 26 and therefore the number of turns of thread in each skein. `On the main shaft 26 and immediately adjacent to the spur wheels system aforesaid is the grooved cam wheel below which is the rocker shaft I9a carrying Ia stud I9b located in the cam groove, such rocker shaft being mounted in bearing brackets I9c on the table and carrying at its other end the fork lever I9 aforesaid for traversing the winding head shaft I6. Adjacent the grooved cam 20 and on the main shaft 26 is a spiral quick drop cam 32,V

Whilst below and slightly behind the skeinY holder shaft 23 is a doifer shaft 33 (not shown in Fig. l but see especially Figs. 3, 4 and 5) mounted in the brackets 23a supporting the skein holder shaft, and having a pair of curved arms `330i positioned inside the spoked hubs 24, of the skein holder. On the outer end of the ,dofer shaft 33 is an arm 34 carrying a roller 34a adapted to engage the periphery of the quick drop cam 32, the roller being held in contact with the cam by a tension spring 35 connected to a further arm 35a fixed to the doifer shaft 33 (see Figs. 3 and 4).

On the main shaft 26 is a worm (not shown) which is engaged with a lworm wheel 23h rotatably mounted on the end of the skein holder shaft, said worm wheel having a flanged eX- tension 23e adjacent to which is a ratchet wheel 23d secured to the skein winding shaft by a, key 23e, there being a coil spring 23f located in a groove in the ratchet wheel adjacent to the flange. The spring is located between a lug 23g on the flange and a stop 23h pinned in the groove. The outer periphery of the ratchet wheel 23d is formed with eight ratchet teeth which provide for indexing or step-by-step rotation of the skein winding shaft 23. The outer end .of the skein winding shaft 23 is mounted in an additional bracket 36. From the bracket 36 and its adjacent bracket 23a are further brackets 31 carrying a Xed pawl shaft 38 on which are located a pair of pawls 3S, 46, urged by coil-springs 39a, y46a located on the said shaft. One pawl 40, hereinafter termed the check pawl, is longer than the other, or holding pawl 3,9. Each pawl is urged at its engaging end, into engagement with the ratchet wheel 23d, by the coil springs aforesaid, the spring 40a for the check pawl being anchored to the adjacent bracket 31 for the shaft and that for the holding pawl being anchored to a collar 4I adjustably secured to the shaft by fa grub screw (not Shown). Each pawl has a tail and adjustably secured on the main shaft 26 is a collar 42 carrying a pair of trip arms 42a, 42h which are adapted successively to trip the pawls 39 and 46, as hereinafter described.

On the arm of the table, and in line with one of the spoked hubs of the skein Winder, is a bracket 43 carrying a cutter shaft 44 which is adapted to be turned through degrees, such cutter shaft being substantially level with the skein winder shaft. On the shaft 44 are fixed tarms 44a carrying a slidable hook 45 of a cutter of 'known type, the relatively stationary blade 46 of which is located on the adjacent arm 44a. The cutter hook 45 is normally positioned level with and on the outside of one of the spokes 25a of the skein holder in the position shown dotted at l45a (Fig. 3) and is adapted to be rotated around the same outwardly to alternative positions 45h or 45C. Such rotation is effected by means of a cam 41 having a face groove 41a and mounted on the end of the main shaft 216 and by a flexible wire cable 48 secured at one end to a drum 49 on the end of the cutter shaft 44 and to an adjustable stud located in ya slot of a cam lever 50 pivoted in a lug at the base of an end bearing bracket 5I for the main shaft 26 and carrying a roller 50a engaged with the face groove 41a of the cam. Return rotation of the cutter shaft is effected by a coil spring 44h. The hook 45 of the cutter is slidably mounted in Ythe arms 44a :xed to the cutter shaft and is actuated by a double grooved collar 52 slidably mounted on the shaft 44, one groove being engaged by a lug 53 on the end of the hook and the other groove being engaged by a stud 54 on one arm of a Ushaped rocker 54a, mounted in a bracket 55 fixed to the arm of the base, the other arm 54h of which rocker has a roller 54C engaging a peripheral groove 41h inthe cam 41 secured to the main shaft. The peripheral groove 41h of the'cam has two lift stages, one being longer for pick up prior to cutting `and ,the other for cutter opening after severance of the thread.

In operation, to start the machine and assuming that the thread I1 is located in the eyes 22a., 22h of the flyer arm 22, the operative holds the end of the'thread from a position in front of the skein holder and starts the motor. The arm winds the thread as a skein over the hori- Zontal rearwardly projecting pair of spokes 24a, 25a of the skein holder, and at the same time is traversed by the fork I9 under the action of the cam 20 to give a nat skein. According to the selection of the spur wheels 21, 28, 29, the main shaft 26 is rotated a complete turn for the predetermined number of loops to form the skein. When such number of turns have been wound, the holding pawl 39 will be tripped by its trip arm 42a. Meanwhile, rotation of the main shaft 26 will have rotated the worm wheel 23h on the skein holder shaft 23 through 1/8 of a turn moving the lug 23g in its groove to compress the spring 23 f so that immediately on tripping of the holding pawl, the skein holder will be rotated through nearly 1A; of a turn until the check pawl 4U stops such rotation. Further rotation of the main shaft releases the check pawl so that the skein holder turns a little further to be located by the holding pawl thus completing its 1/8 turn and moving into its normal position for presenting the next pair o1" skein holding members to the yer as determined by the holding pawl. All the while during such movement of the skein holder to its next station, the flyer arm is turning and without interruption of winding it commences to wind the next skein on the next presented pair of spokes. The movement of the skein holder is timed, relative to the flyer so that the length of thread connecting the two skeins extends between the skein holding members 24a, i. e. at the same end of the holder. This is essential to enable the pick up and severing mechanism described later to operate effectively. The flyer may make two or three turns while these next spokes are in their temporary position, as defined by the check pawl, and the initial turns of winding will occur during such period until the skein spokes assume their normal position.

I'he cutter and dofer mechanisms are actuated as follows. The cycle of movement of the cutter starts from a position in which its carrying arms 44a are horizontally disposed with the hook retracted as shown in Fig. 7. The position of the cutter is indicated at 45a, in Fig. 3. Immediately after the skein holder has reached its new position, as determined by the check and holding pawls, the face grooved cam 41a, turns the cutter shaft clockwise to the upper position for the hook as shown at 45h (Fig. 3). The peripheral groove cam 41h then advances the hook to its extreme extended position as shown in Fig. 4 above and on the inside of the rearwardly directed skein spoke 24a; then the hook and cutter are turned anti-clockwise by the action of the cam 47a so that the hook engages the thread which lies across between such spoke and the one above it and moves round behind it, as shown in Fig. 5, and at the same time the hook is slowly withdrawn by the action of the cam 41h but so that the hook reaches its nal position as shown at 45e, Fig. 3, before its nal stage of withdrawal movement for severance. Thus, severance occurs within the last turn of the rst wound skein and so that the end thereto is in a substantially hidden position within the skein and close to the label which will have been fitted by the operative, as described later. The other end of the thread to the next wound skein is relatively long. The cutter is then turned back to its horizontal position at 45a, Fig. 3, during which movement the hook may be moved forward suiliciently to open it and ensure release of the ends, after which the hook is withdrawn,

the cutter and hook being then in the position from which it started. 1

After severance, the skein holder is indexed to its next position, the severed skein being carried down in front of the dofer arms 33a and simultaneously with the commencement of movement of the hook for severing the next skein, the dofer arm shaft is released by its cam 32 and under the action of its spring 35, the shaft is turned and the doffer arms push off the severed skein. The doffer arms are moved back by their cam in time to be behind the next skein as the skein holder moves to the next position.

The skeins, as they are wound, are carried forward through three idle stage positions between the winding and severing positions, and Whilst in such positions, the operative may affix one or more bands 55 (see Figs. 3 and 5) to each skein, according to the speed of the machine and the skill of the operative. damper 51 may be provided adjacent the skein holder so as to be readily accessible to the operative. y

The invention is obviously not limited to all the details of the example above described, many of which may be modified without departing from the nature of the invention; forexam'ple, other arrangements of cams, or equivalent mechanism could be employed for effecting movement of the several parts of the machine.

I declare that what I claim is:

1. A machine for the continuous winding of skeins of thread, comprising a rotatable winding head, a rotatable drum disposed in operative relation to said head and having a plurality of skein-holding arms arranged in pairs, and means synchronized with the winding but acting independently of the speed of rotation of the wind-- ing head for indexing the skein-holder drum immediately the winding head has completed a predetermined number of revolutions to move the holding members round to successive stations, said indexing means comprising a spring associated with the shaft of said drum, means for loading the spring as the winding progresses While holding the drum against rotation, means for releasing the drum on completion of the predetermined number of revolutions of the winding head thereby to permit instantaneous rotation of said drum by said spring to present the next pair of holding members to the winding head, thread severing means for severing a completed skein from the next succeeding skein and mechanism for actuating said severing means during any period of winding operation for another skein.

2. A machine for the continuous winding of skeins of thread, comprising a rotatable winding head, a rotatable drum disposed in operative relation to said head and having a plurality of skein-holding members, means synchronized with the winding but acting independently of the speed of rotation of the winding head for indexing the skein holder immediately the winding head has completed a predetermined number of revolutions to move the holding members round to successive stations to present successive skeinholding members to the winding head for continuous and interconnected winding of successive skeins .and so that the connecting thread extends between adjacent skein-holding members at the same end of the holder, thread-severing means for severing a completed skein from the next succeeding skein, and mechanism for actuating said severing means during any period A shelf 56 andof a winding operation for another skein, said severing means comprising a movable blade and a stationary cutter blade, said lmovable blade adapted to pick up the thread at the connection between two successiveV skeins with means for moving such cutter blade back along the last loop of the first-wound skein, and means for operating the movable cutter blade relative to the stationary blade in the length of such last loop thereby to sever the thread at a predetermined v-point on the skein and leave the end to the first loop of the succeeding skein long, said severing means being moved in a circular path embracing one of the skein-holding members so as to pick up the thread and bring the cutter into the desired severing position.

3. A machine for the continuous winding of skeins of thread, comprising a rotatable winding head, a rotatable drum disposed in operative relation to said head and having a plurality of skein-holding members, means synchronized with the Winding but acting independently of the speed of rotation of the winding head for indexing the skein holder immediately the winding head has completed a predetermined number of revolutions to move the holding members round to successive stations to present successive skein-holding members to the winding head for continuous `and interconnected winding of successive skeins and so that the connecting thread extends between adjacent skein-holding members at the same end of the holder, threadsevering means for severing a completed skein from the next succeeding skein, and mechanism for actuating said severing means during any period of a winding operation for another skein, doing means comprising arms normally positioned behind the skein as it is progressedinto a doiing station succeeding the severing station, and means for moving said arms to push the skein off the skein holding members in synchronized relation to the winding.

FRANK OSBORNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

